Böcker av Valerie Bowman

She's a wallflower on a mission to win.Bookish Lady Elizabeth Whitmoreland has no interest in being a debutante. She'd rather immerse herself in the tranquility of a library than dance in a ballroom with some silly fop. But when she overhears a wager being placed on a game of chess, she sees her chance to challenge the ton's smuggest rake. If he loses, he'll have to pretend to court her for the entire Season to fend off her relentless mama.He's a rake who's never been beat.Christopher St. Clare, the Marquess of Claremont, is a man who staunchly avoids the debutante scene and marriage altogether, confident that his brother will carry on the family line. But when a spirited debutante challenges him to a chess match, he can't resist. He's always been unbeatable, but his world is turned upside down when he faces an unexpected loss. Now, he must play the role of a devoted suitor for the entire Season.In a game that quickly turns to seduction, the stakes have never been so scandalous.Lady Eliza might be beautiful, clever, and witty, but she's still a debutante. One playing a dangerous game when she begins tempting him beyond all reason by asking him to kiss her. Despite their undeniable chemistry, Christopher remains resolute. He will not touch her. But when Eliza steps up her attempts to seduce him, how long will he be able to resist the undeniable attraction between them?

When a debutante with a plan...Lady Jessica Whitmoreland has always had a clear plan for her debut Season: find a suitable husband and secure her place in Society. Her sights are set on the catch of the Season, the Duke of Thornbury, Aiden Thornton. But when he offends Jessica during their first encounter, she writes him off as rude and arrogant.Meets a duke with an attitude...Aiden is a rake who shudders at the thought of settling down. He prides himself on crushing the dreams of hopeful debutantes. But when he realizes he's offended a Whitmoreland, he has no choice but to make amends, and quickly. Only Lady Jessica isn't interested in his apology. She wants nothing more to do with him, leaving Aiden feeling frustrated-and more than a little intrigued.Sparks are bound to fly.Aiden can be exceedingly charming and persistent, however, and despite Jessica's initial reluctance to forgive him, they become unlikely friends. But when she resumes her search for the ideal husband, Aiden realizes he's feeling more than friendship for the quick-witted beauty. Her sensuous kisses tell him she feels more too. Passion is never in short supply when they're together, but this is not the perfect courtship Jessica imagined. Can they let go of first impressions for a chance at lasting love?

She's a maid with big dreams.A dutiful lady's maid, Miss Madeline Atwater knows precisely what her future holds: countless nights of dressing her mistress in silk gowns, pinning her hair in elegant curls, and selecting the perfect pair of slippers before sending her off to the ball. But Madeline harbors a secret dream. Just once, she'd like to be the one who attends the grand party-and tonight could be her chance. All she needs to do is borrow her mistress's cast-off dress and sneak downstairs during the Twelfth Night Ball...He's no prince charming.Lord Justin Whitmoreland, Marquess of Whitmore, is a confirmed bachelor for good reason, and none of the eligible young ladies in London has even tempted him to change his mind about marriage. But after sharing one sensuous dance with a mystery woman, he finds himself looking for her around every street corner and in every ballroom. The very last place he expects his mystery woman to turn up is under his own roof.Can midnight work some magic?When Madeline is sacked from her job, Justin's meddling sister hires her as her new lady's maid. Which would be well and good if they didn't have to face temptation every day-and every night. Justin would have to be the worst kind of scoundrel to trifle with a woman in his employ, and Madeline believes she has zero chance of capturing a marquess's heart...so why is it so difficult for them to resist stealing private moments together? It's the most improbable of matches, but if the slipper fits...

The first book in Valerie Bowman's sexy Secret Brides trilogy, Secrets of a Wedding Night HOW TO STOP A WEDDINGYoung, widowed, and penniless, Lily Andrews, the Countess of Merrill, has strong opinions on marriage. When she spots a certain engagement announcement in The Times, she decides to take action. She will not allow another hapless girl to fall prey to a man-particularly the scoundrel who broke her heart five years ago. Anonymously she writes and distributes a pamphlet entitled "Secrets of a Wedding Night," knowing it will find its way into his intended's innocent hands...HOW TO SEDUCE A WIDOWDevon Morgan, the Marquis of Colton, desires a good wife and mother to his son-someone completely unlike Lily Andrews, the heartless beauty who led him on a merry chase five years ago only to reject him. When Devon's new fiancée cries off after reading a certain scandalous pamphlet, he vows to track down the author and make her pay. But when he learns it's his former fiancée Lily, he issues a challenge: write a retraction or prepare to be seduced-to find out how wonderful a wedding night can be...

He never forgot her…When General Collin Hunt is ordered to take a much-needed holiday, he resigns himself to rest and recreation at his brother's country estate. But when the only woman he ever loved—and selflessly gave up—shows up as his sister-in-law's governess, his carefully ordered life is turned inside out. She'll never forgive him…When Erienne Stone defied her family and fled her life of privilege, she never expected to be reunited with the man who'd abandoned her more than a decade before. But Lucy, Duchess of Claringdon, is a hard woman to say no to, even when Erienne's heart is in danger of breaking all over again. A meddling matchmaker may be the key to their second chance…After a decade of pain and heartache, can two star-crossed lovers trust the truth in their own hearts?

His best laid plans...Ewan Fairchild, Viscount Clayton, has been busy ticking off the boxes for a bright future. Become a rising star in Parliament? Check. Find a lady he intends to marry? Check. Make his stables the envy of every man in London? Check, thanks to the prize Arabian thoroughbred he''s just won at auction. Clayton''s on his way to having it all and won''t change course for anyone-not even the beautiful young woman next door....are about to go awryLady Theodora Ballard didn''t mind missing a Season of dinner parties, balls, and soirees to care for her ailing mother, but when Thea''s father sold her horse out from under her, she thought her heart would break. Now the roguishly handsome viscount at the neighboring estate has her horse-and she''ll stop at nothing to get him back. Unfortunately, a horse spying mission goes south, leaving Thea with a broken leg and Clayton with an alluring houseguest who upends his orderly world. The sparks between them are undeniable, but secrets and scandal abound. It''s going to take more than a little love to save them...

He''s posing as a groomsman. Rhys Sheffield, the Duke of Worthington, has bet his friends an ungodly sum of money that despite his loftiness,  he can pass himself off as a servant at the house party of the Season. But when his clever ex-flame arrives and recognizes Rhys in the stables pretending to be a groomsman, she realizes it''s the perfect opportunity to pay him back for breaking off their engagement.She''s the bride to be. The lovely Lady Julianna Montgomery may be the only young woman at the house party who''s not in the market for a husband. She''s quite happily engaged to a marquess, thank you very much, and scarcely remembers the pain of being callously tossed over by the Duke of Worthington nearly two long years ago-till now. 

"St. Martin's Paperbacks historical romance"--Spine.